Dr. UnStuck Podcast — Get Out of Your Head. Get Into Your Life.

We have been told by McDonald's for years that "We deserve a break today," and that "It's Miller Time." But why do we need to be told we deserve a break? Many of us fall in the door after a long day at work, grab the remote and a cold beer, and then sit in our usual seat on the couch to binge-watch Netflix for hours. We spend the weekend in our sweatpants because we are burnt out, exhausted mentally and physically. This is because we have not made room for true relaxation in our lifestyles. Vegging is not true relaxation, which can only be measured by the feeling of rejuvenation afterward. We have become foreign to the concept of "Dolce Far Niente," the sweetness of doing nothing. Now is the time to prioritize your well-being and let the world spin without you for a few hours . . .

#lessismore #simplicity #doingnothing #leisure #positivity #psychology #education #sweetnessofdoingnothing #Mindcraft

Many of us slid into a routine or rut during the pandemic of wearing loose fitting clothing, not shaving body parts, keeping up with haircuts, make-up, and even basic hygiene. Sweatpants became our new uniform. Many of us also took up binge-watching Netflix as a new hobby. Now that the Rona is all but behind us, it is time to pull ourselves together . . . as how we express ourselves outwardly says lots about what is going on inwardly. We attract what we put out there to the world. How we present ourselves also directly affects how we feel inside. Respecting ourselves on the outside helps us to respect ourselves more on the inside.  Schlepping around passively in sweatpants is also not good as far as truly feeling relaxed and recharged.

#selfrespect #selfworth #selfawareness #relaxation #selfrespect #happiness

After a year and a half of trauma and fearful weirdness in the air, we are now faced with even more change. We are also faced with more loss, as many people (about half of Americans), have reported that they are hesitant about going back to in-person interaction whether people are vaccinated or not. Though challenging in many ways, working from home was also cheaper, more convenient for some, and more comfortable, especially for those who identify as introverts. We are also faced with the "parallel pandemic" of mental health, as anxiety and depression rates have soared since the pandemic first hit. We have been conditioned to bunker down, cover our faces, and to stay away from people which go against how we are wired as human-beings. Now we are being asked to shift back towards each other, maybe even shake a hand or two, and it is feeling overwhelming. Join us for a discussion about how to ease back in and to heal from the "psychological lockdown" that many of us have experienced.

"There's no place like home," said Dorothy, as she clicked her ruby-red slippers upon departing from Oz . . . Home is who we are. Our home represents us. Regardless of our life-stage or size of our home, the self-expression and creativity of one's living-space are essential for well-being. Think about it, the brain is constantly processing its environment whether we are aware of this or not. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to provide a positive and inviting atmosphere for our brain to reside in, one that is an outward expression of what we deem meaningful on the inside. 

#creativity #selfexpression #worthiness #homedecoration #creativeliving #artisticliving #houseart #positivity #education 

The law of subtraction says that if we truly want to invite positive change into our lives that we must make room for this first. We can have all that the universe has to offer, a new relationship, new career, new home, travel, etc., but if we are residing in a jam-packed schedule and zooming around like a gerbil on crack, there is no room for newness and positive change. We need to break free from the need to "play it safe," and bust out of our comfort zone to live the life of passion and fulfillment we were meant for. 

Most of us with ADHD would say that this is who we are rather than something we have. This is because our cognitive wiring and interested-based nervous systems are a large part of our hard-drive and programming. Navigating a world where the majority of its residents are neurotypical, wired in ways which are accepted, expected, and endorsed, often has ADHDers feeling as if we may as well have been born on another planet. We were given a neurotypical owner's manual at birth which may work well for the majority, but not for us. Our own unique nervous system works quite well when operating by its own set of rules and owner's manual. And, here's the big news . . . we don't want to be neurotypical. We have our own gifts to offer and to make this world a better place!

When we give mindfully, meaning authentically and without looking for anything in return, there is a powerful charge that rolls through us. This is because generosity is an outer expression of the interconnection we all need as human-beings. Generosity says we care. Cultivating generosity is about spending time and effort on someone other than ourselves. It is also about genuinely giving to ourselves with the gifts of self-acceptance and self-compassion, as well as to carve out a few minutes each day that have no purpose other than to just be. Mindful giving replenishes the spirit. "Such is the power of mindful, selfless generosity. At the deepest level, there is no giver, no gift, and no recipient . . . only the universe rearranging itself."  ~Jon Kabat-Zinn

#mindfulness #gratitude #mindfulgiving #generosity #psychology #education #cultivategratitude #happiness #optimism #authenticity

There is tons out there on ADHD and how this affects children, though little has been said about adults who come into this diagnosis later on in life, and even less about adult women. The world expects us to be responsible grown-ups, managing jobs, money, kids’ schedules, etc., and to do this all with ease and a smile.  Yet, our interest-based nervous systems often redirect our attention, throwing a rather large wrench in our ability to “adult” like everyone else, leaving us with a lingering sense of shame and wondering what is wrong with us. This same interest-based nervous system also drives us into bursts of creative energy that can explode with innovative ideas, the ADHD superpower.

#ADHD #ADHDbrain #adultADHD #ADHDwomen #psychololgy #education #ADHDhyperfocus #ADHDgift #executivefunctioning

More often than not, when we really don't like how life is going-a relationship on the brink of fizzling, a much needed job change, a missed opportunity, as well as the daily curveballs that life throws at us, we dig in. We hang on and resist with everything we've got to make the present moment into something other than it is. The result? Stress. And lots of it. In fact, one way to measure unhappiness is the difference between where you wish you were and where you actually are. Acceptance. Not complacency. Once we learn to genuinely accept this moment exactly as it is, things immediately get easier. Learning to take life as it comes opens the door for peace of mind, increased happiness, creativity, and productivity. 

#acceptance #selfacceptance #authenticity #selfawareness #psychology #education #stress #happiness #acceptanceiskey

Motivation is not something we pick up at the grocery store or find in a closet. It is a process, one that ignites and paves the way to goal-oriented behavior. Many of us have tricks that have worked to pull us out from being stuck and unmotivated in the past. However, now that we are nearly a year into the pandemic many of us are finding that these tricks are no longer working, leaving us feeling uninspired and unmotivated. We need to find our match, spark, and fan to find our way up and out of this place and back to a meaningful and exciting existence.